LED's

[norsa]

So. My major project at the mo (for the last 4 years so far) is completely restoring a 76 Escort C/W bubble arches etc. Now, with the greatest of respect to concours owners, its going to be a 76 classic but retro/modern finish. I have a plan for the lighting (indicators and stop/tail) which, in its day, were slightly dim??. Ok, in an episode of OCC, a while ago, i saw Jim Quinn wiring in individual LEDs of different colours to a wheel. Im a body man not an auto elec so in laymens terms please, can i buy, fit and legally use LEDs within the original marker lamp casings. How do they work??
Nick

 

[DrNik]

they are a small compact component called a a light emmiting diode, which allows currect to flow in one direction but not the other, and when the current is flowing in the right direction they give off light,

but you need the correct current to flow in the right direction, too much and they blow, too little and they dont light

so buy your LEDs and then go to http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz

this would guide you to the correct resistor (if needed) needed to make sure its correctly lit,
the resistor is used to slow down the current flowing through the LED, bit like a sink tap, you need just a small trickle lol

if you wanted to run 10 LEDs off your car battery you can daisy chain them up as long as they are all connected the right way round (easily identified by one leg being shorter than the other) but should one blow or die in the chain then the whole chain would go out , so for a tail i would have multiple chains,

one other thing because LEDs draw only a small current your indicator will be flashing very fast, as the indicator relays uses the normal 12v indicator bulb as a resistor a 50w per lightbulb is sufficient, or if your doing both front and back is use a 100w aluminium bodied/cased resistor as it will get warm with use

they are totally legal to use them inside the original lamp housing, just make sure they are the right colour, white leds can be used easily, or you can use red LEDs inside a red lamp housing , but obviously not red inside an amber housing as it may affect coulouration, id be happy to help you out if you need it

 

[richie00boy]

Have a look on ebay, so many different car bulbs available in LED now that you can probably buy one for a quid. As for fitting them, pretty easy just be aware they are polarised so will only illuminate one way round. Indicators you will need a special LED compatible relay or it will flash too fast.

 

[rikrobson]

You can get replacement bulbs that are the correct fitting and are LED. They have the correct ballast in them to make the indicators work correctly.

 

[normspanners]

LEDs won't work in an escort coz it's got old wiring this means you would be better off selling it to me, I will have to give you scrap value, coz its so old and anyway it hasnt got any lights working. It will probably weight about 300kg Sir oh and when its gone, that would mean I could tarmac your drive, OY have sum left over from a job i'um doin just round the corner.
In fact if you give me a tousan pounds we'll call it quit's. an I'ul be back in a week or so to do yur drive !

 

[DrNik]

Hey norm your accent was changing as I read your post, can you teach me such amazing skills, cheers

 

[anjum]

It's actually difficult to know which LED bulbs are as bright or brighter than the standard bulbs, and give the right spread.

You can also get led bulbs to replace the interior and dash lighting which helps see the instuments.

 

[norsa]

Norm. Tempting offer mate, let me think about it. Yes I know you can get direct replacement boy racer type beyonet fit ones but im thinking on the same line as the good Dr in a string. The whole project is going to take about 8yrs probably and will be worth lots so if I have to fanny with strings of diodes, so be it. Thanks guys.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I bought 2 boxes of small LED bulbs for £1.99 including P&P for box of 10 !
Besides my own cars I changed them (sidelights) in a neighbours two cars last night and the light output is far superior to the original cap bulbs.
For my trailer I've got LED side marker lights as well as LED rear light clusters. All properly E marked and legal.
Not 100% sure about LED stop / tail bulbs replacing ordinary bulbs. I bought one when they first became available (10+ years ago) for my motorbike and limited viewing angle. ie bright from directly behind but poor from the side so kept standard bulb. That is one aspect of LED bulbs (on motorbike rear) I feel that not worth risking loosing visibility to others.

Paul H

 

[zx9]

Norsa, I am not sure exactly what you are trying to do, would either of these help.

Flexi-Day-Light-Running-Strip (click)

or

lots of surface mount LEDs on a lolipop (click)

Obviously other suppliers will have other ideas.

 

[norsa]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-ULTRA-...upplies_ET&hash=item1e5e75ccd7#ht_3713wt_1040
These type of jobbies, (white obviously not green) fixed to a backing plate behind the original coloured lenses.

 

[Robotstar5]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-ULTRA-...upplies_ET&hash=item1e5e75ccd7#ht_3713wt_1040
These type of jobbies, (white obviously not green) fixed to a backing plate behind the original coloured lenses.

Check what colour they show as white LEDs can give a pinkish colour through a red lense, red LEDs would be better.

 

[zx9]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-ULTRA-...upplies_ET&hash=item1e5e75ccd7#ht_3713wt_1040
These type of jobbies, (white obviously not green) fixed to a backing plate behind the original coloured lenses.

Despite the 'super bright' name, you would get more light out of a Zippo.

You need to look at surface mount CRE LEDs which are very bright but cost, as per my second link above or This sort of thing on Eblag

 

[norsa]

to be honest Keith, its more the principal of doing more than specifics of components at the mo, so as to end up rather than 1x bulb with reflector, maybe 18x 8mm diodes of a suitable brightness.
nick

 

[zx9]

I may have missed it Nick, but is this going to be a road car? If not I guess you could design and install any type of illumination you like.
As I see it there are two problems, suitable brightness and distribution of light.
The SMD CRE LEDs are the bright ones the conventional two legged diodes are just not bright.
I want to do something similar for my Rangie the main problem is with LEDs been effectively point sources with high directionality where as tungsten filament lamps are liner with 360 degree light output. The reflectors in older car lights were designed to work with a conventional bubble, the nearest LEDs get to this light distribution would be the corn on the cob multiple SMD type.
I have 4W CRE LED lighting in the bathroom at home, each lamp has the equivalent out put to a 35 W tungsten halogen, I was thinking could that sort of lamp or a torch be raided for the CRE chips and drivers?

 

[norsa]

now were getting somewhere. I assumed diodes but as I said, im a body man. many new vehicles have a multi light set up poised to single beyonet. E.g Audi A5.

 

[anjum]

I keep getting tempted to get a really bright set of fog and brake lights to get my own back on those Audis. Should be illegal to have them that bright unless dispersed.

 

[zx9]

now were getting somewhere. I assumed diodes but as I said, im a body man. many new vehicles have a multi light set up poised to single beyonet. E.g Audi A5.

This sort of thing would be interesting to have a play with. ebay 10W-High-Power-LED-Lamp-SMD-Bulb-Chip-White-Warm-White-/

 

[Robotstar5]

This sort of thing would be interesting to have a play with. ebay 10W-High-Power-LED-Lamp-SMD-Bulb-Chip-White-Warm-White-/

10W! I've got a torch with a 5W cree LED and it has a warning about not looking into the beam, it's like a laser

 

[RichardM]

I used to run them in the last bikes rear light and idiot lights, if running 12V you can run 4 in series (~3v ea) as many as you want in parallel. 470ohm resistor to knock a 12v feed down, doides to stop hooking them up the wrong way and blowing them all. You can use the same leds for rear and brake light by putting two feeds with the rear light having a bigger value resistor to limit the brightness.

Use the same colour LEDS as the lens. basically ultrabright have a narrower angle of vision, but if you are putting them into rear light does not matter as the lens defuses as well. White ones make good illumination for number plates.

Make your own PCB using ferric chloride to etch.